Did you know
Rosalind Elsie Franklin was an English chemist and X-ray crystallographer.
Notable Deaths on April 16
1958 — Rosalind Franklin
English biophysicist and academic (born 1920)
April 16 has 130 recorded notable deaths across history, from 69 to 2026. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Notable Deaths
130 source records
69 – 2026
Today in history
Major events on April 16
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1862 American Civil War: The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, a bill ending slavery in the District of Columbia, becomes law. Source
- 1963 U.S. civil rights campaigner Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes his open letter from Birmingham Jail, sometimes known as "The Negro Is Your Brother", while incarcerated in Birmingham, Alabama, for protesting against segregation. Source
- 1878 The Senate of the Grand Duchy of Finland issues a declaration establishing a city of Kotka on the southern part islands from the old Kymi parish. Source
- 1818 The United States Senate ratifies the Rush–Bagot Treaty, limiting naval armaments on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. Source
Did you know
As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barriers and served as a literary role model for later generations of women authors.
Did you know
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution.
Did you know
In the same year, he released his only solo album, Oar, and then largely withdrew from the music industry.
Did you know
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich was a prominent American politician and a leader of the Republican Party in the United States Senate, where he represented Rhode Island from 1881 to 1911.
More major people who died on April 16
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1689
Aphra Behn
English author and playwright (born 1640)
Aphra Behn was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era.
1899
Emilio Jacinto
Filipino journalist and activist (born 1875)
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution.
1999
Skip Spence
Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1946)
Alexander "Skip" Spence was a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He was co-founder of Moby Grape, and played guitar with them until 1969.
1915
Nelson W. Aldrich
American businessman and politician (born 1841)
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich was a prominent American politician and a leader of the Republican Party in the United States Senate, where he represented Rhode Island from 1881 to 1911.
2014
Gyude Bryant
Liberian businessman and politician (born 1949)
Charles Gyude Bryant was a Liberian politician and businessman. He served as the Chairman of the Transitional Government of Liberia from 14 October 2003 to 16 January 2006.
1846
Domenico Dragonetti
Italian bassist and composer (born 1763)
Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti was an Italian double bass virtuoso and composer with a three string double bass.
1950
Eduard Oja
Estonian composer, conductor, and critic (born 1905)
Eduard Oja was an Estonian composer, conductor, music teacher and critic. His father was a forest warden.
1375
John Hastings
2nd Earl of Pembroke, English nobleman and soldier (born 1347)
John Hastings, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, was a fourteenth-century English nobleman and soldier. He also held the titles of Baron Abergavenny and Lord of Wexford.
1957
Pieter van der Hoog
Dutch bacteriologist, dermatologist, and Islamicist (born 1888)
Pieter Henricus van der Hoog, also known after converting to Islam as Mohammed Abdul-Ali, was a Dutch bacteriologist, dermatologist, and Islamicist.
1969
Hem Vejakorn
Thai illustrator and painter (born 1904)
Mom Luang Hem Vejakorn was a Thai artist and writer. He is best known for his illustrations for the covers of 10-satang pulp novels, which have in turn influenced subsequent generations of Thai artists and illustrators,…
2021
John Dawes
Welsh rugby union player (born 1940)
Sydney John Dawes was a Welsh rugby union player, playing at centre, and later coach. He captained London Welsh, Wales, the 1971 British Lions and the Barbarians.
1859
Alexis de Tocqueville
French historian and philosopher, French Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1805)
Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville, was a French diplomat, political philosopher and historian. He is best known for his works Democracy in America and The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856).
2026
Justin Fairfax
American lawyer and politician, 41st Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (born 1979)
Justin Edward Fairfax was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 41st lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022.
1828
Francisco Goya
Spanish-French painter and illustrator (born 1746)
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
1914
George William Hill
American astronomer and mathematician (born 1838)
George William Hill was an American astronomer and mathematician.
1968
Edna Ferber
American novelist, short story writer, and playwright (born 1885)
Edna Ferber was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright.
1978
Lucius D. Clay
American officer and military governor in occupied Germany (born 1898)
Lucius Dubignon Clay was a senior officer of the United States Army who was known for his administration of occupied Germany after World War II. He served as the deputy to General of the Army Dwight D.
1947
Rudolf Höss
German SS officer, commandant of Auschwitz, convicted war criminal (born 1900)
Rudolf Franz Ferdinand Höss was a German SS officer, a war criminal, and the commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
1998
Fred Davis
English snooker player (born 1913)
Fred Davis was an English professional player of snooker and English billiards. He was an eight-times World Snooker Championship winner from 1948 to 1956, and a twice winner of the World Billiards Championship.